XP wont load

[thedeadpoet]

a rather serious issue here, obviously. the last time i saw my desktop i was met with a warning from one bravesentry telling me my computer was in danger. well, i ignored it.

that was last night. so this morning i switch it on and windows wont load. i get as far as "loading your personal settings" on the welcome screen and it freezes.

if reinstalling xp is the only soloution then so be it, but the os was pre installed, and i cant access the command prompt despite having entered the adv options menu...

 

[Rik]

Your windows cd may be able to run repair!!!!!!!

 

[thedeadpoet]

Without a doubt...

 

[thedeadpoet]

any ups?


i dont have an xp disk, in case anyone else missed that...

 

[thedeadpoet]

Anyone at all, no?

 

[thedeadpoet]

Even a link to elsewhere?

 

[howard_hopkinso]

Can you boot into safe mode, or is that buggered too?

Regards Howard

 

[thedeadpoet]

thats screwed too im afraid.

 

[Rik]

You may have to put your hand in your pocket and go and buy a windows cd!!!!

 

[thedeadpoet]

i have a windows ME cd, but the CD ROM drive wont intalize.

oh and by the way man, that signature is an absoloute LEGEND.

 

[Rik]

A windows ME cd is of no use with an xp problem, ME cd's are not even bootable usually!!!!!

Who's signature do you mean??

 

[thedeadpoet]

Yeah, ME is fairly useless alright.

I understand I'll have to access command prompt to get at the installation files, but im not being offered the option.

 

[Rik]

Then the only 2 options left to you are to create a boot disk if you have access to a burner or buy a windows disk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[thedeadpoet]

Ah here, there must be an easier way than buying a new cd, and if i was to, it certainly wouldnt be xp.

Is Vista out yet?

 

[Rik]

Nope, vista isnt released yet, see here http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/default.mspx ,a boot cd if you can create one is your only other option!!!!!

 

[thedeadpoet]

Nudge and/or bump.

 

[alidabiri]

get a windows 98 boot disk from www.bootdisk.com
start your pc with it using the option "start pc with cd-rom support".
do an fdisk, delete partition(s) and create new partition and format the hard drive.
stick your xp cd in the cd-rom drive and run setup.exe or navigate to I386 directory and run program winnt.exe

 

[thedeadpoet]

Is that the only way? I've got upwards of 3000 worth of software on it and sony never gave me any ****ing disks...